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COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY. 



REPORT OF MILITARY BOARD. 



1861. 



REPORT 



MILITAEY BOAED 



KENTUCKY, 



MADE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 



SEPTEMBER 10, 1861. 



FRANKFOET, KY.: 

PRINTED AT THE YEOMAN OFFICE. 

JNO. B. MAJOR, STATE PRINTER, - 

1861. 



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31 



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MILITARY REPORT. 



Frankfort, September 3d, 1861. 
Hon. John F. Fisk, Speaker of the Senate: 

The undersigned Commissioners, appointed by an act of the Gen- 
eral Assembly, entitled " An act for the regulation of the Militia and 
to provide for the arming of the State," approved May 24th, 1861, 
submit the following report : 

At as early a period after the passage of the act above referred to, 
and the attendance of the Commissioners who lived remotely from the 
seat of government could be procured, the Board was organized by 
the appointment of Governor Magoffin as its President, and Philip 
Swigert Secretary, when they proceeded in the discharge of the high 
and responsible duties assigned them by the representatives of the 
people. 

To enable the Commissioners to carry into effect the object of the 
law, their earliest attention was directed to the procurement of means, 
by way of loans from the " banks of issue in this State," and they 
therefore appointed committees, composed of members of the com- 
mission, to confer with the banks and ascertain whether loans could 
be obtained at such times as the funds might be wanting, on the terms 
and for the objects indicated in the law, which resulted in but very 
limited success; and as the Commissioners were restricted in their 
negotiations for loans "to the banks of issue in this State," no appli- 
cations have been made elsewhere. 

The Northern Bank, Farmers' Bank, Bank of Kentucky, and Bank 
of Louisville, in reply to applications made them for loans, state, 
that they "decline for the present," and assign their reasons for such 
declension. 

The Southern Bank of Kentucky expressed a willingness to furnish 
their pro rata of the amount which the law authorized the Commis- 
sioners to borrow, upon condition that the other banks would furnish 
their pro rata. 

From the Commercial Bank, People's Bank, and Bank of Ashland, 
no direct reply has been received. 

The Southern Bank of Kentucky had, previous to the passage of 
the law creating this Board, advanced to the Governor, by way of loan, 
$60,000 ; the Bank of Louisville and the Commercial Bank had 
advanced, in like manner, the sum often thousand dollars each, in the 
aggregate, $80,000, which they were willing should be transferred to 
the Commissioners for the purpose and on the terms stated in the 
law, which was accepted, and bonds were executed to them respect- 
ively, bearing date May 1st, 1861, payable ten years after date, the 
interest payable semi-annually at the office of the Treasurer of this 
State. 



4 MILITARY REPORT. 

No provision having been made for th*e payment of either the princi- 
pal or interest of this loan, we would respectfully suggest to the Legisla- 
ture the propriety of such provision. From the amount thus transferred 
to the Commissioners, a deduction of $22,440 52 was made on a settle- 
ment with the Governor for disbursements made by him in the pur- 
chase of arms and munitions of war. These disbursements of the 
Governor were approved, in order to carry into effect the law direct- 
ing them "to ratify the contracts for the purchase of arms heretofore 
made by the Governor of this Commonwealth, and pay for the same." 
There remained in the hands of the Governor the sum of $57,559 48, 
which he caused to be deposited in the treasury to the credit of "Com- 
missioners Military Board." 

Various other expenditures have been made by the Inspector-Gen- 
eral, with the sanction of the Governor, in the purchase of camp equi- 
page, equipments, ammunition, and training the " State Guard" in 
encampments, a part of which has been paid, and the balance sus- 
pended for want of proper vouchers and other contingencies, amount- 
ing in all to sixteen thousand five hundred and ninety-four dollars and 
thirty-eight cents, which, deducted from the sum of $57,559 48, leaves 
in the treasury subject to draft the sum of forty thousand nine hundred 
and sixty-five dollars and ten cents. 

The encampments of " State Guard" companys, by battalion or 
regiment, for "training," which had been conducted to some extent 
without the concurrence of the Commissioners, were found to be preju- 
dicial to the public interest, as officers and men, who were trained in 
those encampments at the expense of the State, abandoned their " State 
Guard" organization, had left, and were continuing to leave, with the 
avowed intention of uniting themselves with the Confederate army. 
To correct the abuse thus practiced on the liberality and patriotism of 
the State, the Commissioners adopted the following resolution: 

" Whereas, It has come to the knowledge of members of this Board 
that numbers of the Active Militia who have been in training, are 
leaving and going to the Confederate States to take up arms against 
the Government of the United States; therefore, 

" Resolved, That no more money will be appropriated at present for 
the purpose of training men who may at any moment abandon the 
service of the State to join others in hostility to the State of Kentucky 
and the Government of the United States." 

In the execution of that part of the law requiring the Commission- 
ers to make an " equal distribution" of the public arms between the 
"State Guard" and the "Home Guard" companys, a difference of opinion 
arose as to the construction of the law. The opinion of the Attorney 
General was asked as to whether the arms in the hands of the State 
Guard, at the passage of the Home Guard law, were to be considered 
in making the distribution equally between the Home and State 
Guards. This opinion is filed with this report. With a view to carry 
out the law in accordance with this opinion, the following resolution 
was passed : 

" Resolved, That no more of the arms now in the arsenal be distri- 
buted to the State Guard, and that the Governor be requested to call 



MILITARY REPORT. 5 

in as many arms now distributed to the State Guard as will enable 
the Board to distribute equally between the State Guard and Home 
Guard, all the arms belonging to the State." 

A few only of these arms have been received, and the Board have 
consequently been unable to make the equal distribution contemplated 
by law. 

The following statement will show the "Home Guard" companies 
to whom arms have been awarded by the Commissioners, and a con- 
densed statement from the report of the Quartermaster-General, show- 
ing the number of companies and arms distributed to "State Guard" 
companies in the same counties, by order of the Inspector-General, 
with the approbation of the Governor : 

FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Ballard county Two companies infantry 88 

McCracken county One company cavalry, pistols 88 

Caldwell county One company infantry 44 

Union county One company infantry 44 

Muskets and rifles 176 

Pistols b8 

Aggregate 264 

STATE GUARDS. 

Union county One company infantry. 

Union county One company artillery. 

McCracken county One company infantry, 102 rifles. 

McCracken county One company artillery, 2 12-pounder brass howit- 
zers, 4 b'-pounder bnas cannon. 

Hickman county One company infantry, U)U muskets. 

Graves county One company infantry, fifty muskets, sixty cav- 
alry swords. 

Marshall county One company infantry. 

Muskets and rifles , 302 

Pistols and swords 60 

Cannon 7 

Aggregate 369 



SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Christian county Two companies infantry 88 

Christian county _ _- One company cavalry, pistols 88 

Henderson county One company infantry 44 

Muhlenburg county Two companies infantry 88 

McLean county One company infantry 44 

Hancock county One company infantry 44 

Hancock county One company cavalry, pistols 88 

Breckinridge county One company infantry 44 

Butler county One company infantry 44 

Muskets and rifles 396 

Pistols _. 176 

Aggregate . 572 



MILITARY REPORT. 



STATE GUARDS.* 



Daviess county.... - One company infantry, fifty muskets. 

Henderson county ..- One comparfy infantry, sixty rifles. 

Henderson county * One company cavalry, 100 pistols, 57 saberSi 1 

6-pounder brass cannon. 

Ohio county ... One company infantry, sixty muskets. 

Hancock county ...One company infantry; fifty rifles. 

Muskets and rifles - 220 

Pistols -. - - 100 

Sabers _- 67 

Cannon . . -~ *- — 1 



378 



THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Todd county- One company infantry 44 

Logan county... One company infantry 44 

Logan county . One company cavalry, pistols- — ....... 88 

Simpson county . One company infantry 44 

Warren county. .-_..-.. -One company infantry 44 

Barren county . ...Three companies infantry 132 

Hart, county .... . Two companies infantry 88 

Monroe county One company infantry 44 

Allen county .....One company infantry 44 

Rifles and muskets— 484 

Cavalry pistols . 88 

Aggregate . . . — — 572 

STATE GUARDS. 

Warren county. . . Two companies infantry, 50 rifles, 60 muskets. 

Warren county . . .... One 6-pounder brass cannon. 

Simpson county One company infantry, sixty muskets. 

Barren county . . Three companies, 140 muskets. 

Logan county . ...One company infantry, sixty muskets. 

Rifles and muskets.. 310 

Pistols - 

Cannon . .. . . .... * 

Aggregate .... . — 30l 

FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Clinton county. ... One company cavalry, pistols ... 88 

Cumberland county. . One company infantry 44 

Wayne county . One company infantry ...... 44 

Russell county., ...... One company infantry . 44 

Pulaski county ..... Two companies infantry 88 

Lincoln county. . One company infantry . 44 

Green county .. . a .. ... One company infantry ... 44 

Adair county . . One company infantry ... 44 

Rifles and muskets « ....... . .... . 352 

Pistols _ _. 88 

Aggregate * . a .. i4 ».^......a.... ... - 440 



MILITARY REPORT. 7 

STATE GUARDS. 

Green county..- One company infantry, sixty rifles. 

Green county -_. One 6-pounder brass cannon. 

Adair county . . One company infantry, 60 muskets, 6 swords. 

Clinton county , One company infantry, forty muskets. 

Pulaski county - One company infantry, forty muskets. 

Rifles and muskets . 200 

Pistols — - «. — . - -- 

Cannon . . — - 1 

Aggregate . 201 

FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Meade county . . Two companies infantry, muskets^ 88 

Meade county One company cavalry, pistols 88 

Hardin county . --.One company infantry, muskets 44 

Larue county One company infantry 44 

Marion county . .- . One company infantry 44 

Nelson county . One company infantry ... 44 

Mercer county . One company infantry 44 

Mercer county , On,e company cavalry, pistols 88 

Anderson county- . . ......One company infantry, muskets 44 

Spencer county One company cavalry, pistols b8 

Rifles and muskets .... .-._. 352 

Pistols _ - _ 264 



STATE GUARDS. 

Nelson county One company infantry, 80 rifles. 

Hardin county Three companies infantry, 130 muskets. 

Washington county . . Two companies infantry, 120 muskets. 

Marion county One company infantry, 50 carbines. 

Spencer county . , . One company cavalry, 100 pistols, 52 sabers, 80 

muskets. 

Bullitt county One company infantry, 50 rifles. 

Mercer county.. . . One company cavalry, 60 pistols, 60 sabers. 

Anderson county . Oue company infantry, 50 rifles. 

Rifles and muskets 560 

Pistols - — 160 

Cannon . ... 

Sabers ._ - — 112 

Aggregate . 832 

SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Garrard county Two companies cavalry, pistols..... 176 

Madison county . ... One company infantry, muskets ._ 44 

Lincoln county One company infantry - 44 

Knox county One company infantry 44 

Estill county ... One company infantry.. . _. 44 

Clay county One company infantry .... 44 

Muskets and rifles ._..... — — 220 

Pistols __ . 176 

Aggregate . ... ..... ...... .... 396 

STATE GUARDS. 

Madison county « .. . One company cavalrv, 80 pistols, 40 sabers. 

Pistols ." -_. 80 

Sabers «. . 40 

Aggregate ....... ...... . ..........----* - 120 



MILITARY REPORT. 
SEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Henry county Two companies infantry.. 



Shelby county Two companies infantry 88 

Muskets and rifles . 176 

STATE GUARDS. 

Shelby county Two companies infantry, 160 muskets. 

Henry county One company infantry, 50 muskets. 

Jefferson county 960 muskets, 50 rifles, 50 pistols, 50 sabers. 

Rifles and muskets } 1220 

Pistols __ 50 

Sabers 50 

Aggregate __ 1320 

EIGHTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Fayette county .. Three companies infantry 132 

Franklin county One company infantry 44 

Jessamine county One company infantry 44 

Nicholas county One company infantry 44 

Muskets and rifles 264 

Pistols 

Aggregate 864 

STATE GUARDS. 

Bourbon county Eighty rifles. 

Scott county Sixty muskets, four swords. 

Woodford county One company infantry. 

Franklin county Two companies infantry. 

Fayette county. \ 256 rifles, 60 muskets, 94 swords, 1 6-pounder 

j y £ brass cannon. 

Harrison county _ Eighty rifles and 130 muskets. 

Muskets and rifles 756 

Pistols 

Sabers 98 

Cannon •_ 1 

Aggregate _ _ _ 855 

NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Bath county Two companies infantry 88 

Boyd county One company infantry 44 

Muskets and rifles 132 

STATE GUARDS. 

Greenup county 120 muskets. 

Montgomery county Fifty muskets. 

Muskets .- _ _ 170 

TENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

HOME GUARDS. 

Carroll county Two companies infantry. 



Owen county One company infantry 44 

Gallatin county . One company infantry 44 

Grant county One company infantry 44 

Bracken county Two companies infantry 88 

Muskets and rifles „ -. 308 



MILITARY REPORT. » 

STATE GUARDS. 

Campbell county Forty muskets, 2 6-pounder brass cannon. 

Trimble county 105 muskets sixty rifles. 

Kenton county 60 muskets, 40 rifles, 50 Colt's pistols, 50 sabers. 

Boone county' Forty muskets. 

«. £ 60 rifles, 40 muskets, 1 12-pounder brass can- 
Mason county _ j aon? j 6 „ pou£lder brass cannon , 1 sword. 

Carroll county . Ninety muskets, sixty rifles. 

Owen county 70 carbines, 70 swords, 50 musket*. 

Pendleton county. Sixty muskets. 

Muskets and rifles 815 

Pistols _ - 50 

Sabers _ ._ - 125 

Cannon 4 

Aggregate — - - - 989 

No part of the loan obtained by the Commissioners has been ex- 
pended in the purchase of arms, (excepting those made by the Gov- 
ernor,) because it was found, on examination, that the ammunition 
required to bear a just proportion to the ordnance and small arms 
owned by the State, together with the cost of constructing a powder 
magazine for the safe deposit of powder and fixed ammunition, here- 
tofore kept at the State Arsenal at much risk and hazard, and other 
incidental expenditures, would probably exhaust the amount subject 
to their control. 

Nor has any money been expended in erecting suitable buildings 
and purchasing the necessary machinery for the manufacture of either 
arms or powder, (a contingency contemplated in the law,) because, 
upon investigation, it was found that even if the Commissioners had 
the means to manufacture, it would be much cheaper to purchase. 

At an early period after the organization of the Commissioners, they 
were advised by the Governor that six pieces of brass cannon, which 
had been sent from Frankfort to Colonel Tilghman for the use of a 
"State Guard" company at Paducah, and about nine hundred mus- 
kets, which had been repaired and rifled at the United States Armory 
in St. Louis, at the expense of this State, and shipped for Louisville, 
had been landed at Paducah. These arms, both cannon and muskets, 
in charge of Colonel Tilghman, had been sent by him to Mayfield, 
Graves county, on the railroad to Tennessee, distant only about twen- 
ty-six miles from the State line, as was alleged, for safe-keeping. 

On the receipt of this information, and believirg that the arms 
were in no condition of safety, the Commissioners, on the 14th June, 
adopted the following resolution : 

" Resolved, That the President be authorized and directed to dis- 
tribute to the companies of the 1st and 2d districts, to whom arms 
have been allotted out of the arms in charge of Colonel Tilghman at 
Paducah and Mayfield, and cause the remainder not required for that 
purpose to be brought, with as much dispatch as possible, to the 
Arsenal at Frankfort." 

At a subsequent meeting of the Commissioners, 9th July, it was 

found that, in consequence of the failure to execute this order by Col. 

Tilghman, (the agent appointed by the President,) and believing that 

the arms so near the Tennessee line were in danger of being seized 

2 



10 MILITABT BEPOKT. 

and forcibly removed by lawless person*, they adopted the following 
resolution : 

"Resolved, That Col. G. T.Wood be authorized and requested to 
proceed to Paducah and Mayfield and distribute the arms to the com- 
panies of the 1st and 2d districts to whom arms have been allotted ; 
and in the event that he finds it inconvenient to distribute them, he 
is to have them forwarded to the Arsenal at Frankfort." 

Col. Wood, on his arrival at Paducah, in the discharge of the duty 
imposed by this resolution, ascertained that the cannon and muskets 
had been forcibly seized and taken off by the combined efforts of indi- 
viduals from Fulton county, Ky., and the camp at Union City, Ten- 
nessee. He was informed that four hundred of the muskets had been 
distributed to the citizens of Fulton county, and that the remaining 
muskets and the cannon had been taken to the camp at Union City, 
Tennessee. For a detailed statement of this transaction reference is 
made to the report of Col. Wood, marked A, and the accompanying 
documents B, C, and D, herewith submitted. 

On the receipt of Col. Wood's report the following resolution was 
adopted : 

"Resolved, That the President be directed to address respectful let- 
ters to the Governor of Tennessee and the commanding officer at Union 
City, setting forth the facts connected with the seizure and removal of 
gix pieces of brass ordnance and a number of small arms from May- 
field, Ky., to Union City, Tenn., accompanying the application with a 
copy of such documents in the possession of the Board as may be 
necessary to a correct understanding of the case, and that he send 
a special agent for the purpose of delivering the documents, receiving 
the arms, and have them brought to the State Arsenal." 

Before any agent had proceeded to Tennessee in conformity with 
this resolution, Mr. Lannom, from Columbus, Ky., arrived in Frank- 
fort, and informed the President and one of the Commissioners that 
the cannon and muskets which had been taken to Union City had been 
sent, at his request, under guard, by order of the commanding officer at 
that city, to a point some two or three miles within the limits of this 
State, where they were guarded by our own citizens. Mr. Lannom 
further stated that at public meetings held in Fulton and Hickman 
counties, he had been appointed to proceed to Frankfort to propose to 
the Commissioners that the citizens of these counties would give bond 
and security as " Home Guard" companies for the arms distributed in 
Fulton county at the time of their seizure at Mayfield, as well as for 
those returned from the camp at Union City. Mr. Lannom at the same 
time expressed a doubt whether the citizens of those two counties 
would permit any removal of these arms from their vicinity, if their 
proposition was rejected. 

The President and the Commissioners present, the Board not being 
in session, informed Mr. Lannom that they could not grant the request 
of their citizens, stating at ihe same time to him that the Board had 
already allotted to the 1st district a full proportion of the public arms. 

The President, with a view to regain possession and secure the four 
hundred muskets distributed to the citizens of Fulton county at the 



MILITARY REPORT. 11 

time of their seizure at Mayfield, as well as those reported by Mr. Lan- 
nom to have been returned from Union City, requested Dr. Johnson, 
of Paducah, to appoint some competent and discreet lawyer to insti- 
tute suits against every individual in whose hands any of these guns 
might be found. 

It has just been made known to the Commissioners that all the mus- 
kets which had been returned to Kentucky from Union City, Tennes- 
see, which were said to be guarded by our own citizens, h^ive been 
taken off, but by whom, what their destination, or whether they will 
ever be recovered, remains to be seen. 

The Governor informed the Commissioners, very soon after their 
organization, that there was a quantity of powder purchased by his 
order for use of the State lying in Russellville; when, on the 14th 
June, they adopted the following resolution : 

" Resolved, That the President be authorized and directed to cause 
the powder now lying in a freight car in Russellville to be transferred 
to the powder magazine at Frankfort with as little delay as possible ; 
the quantity reported to be 260 large and 264 small kegs." 

In the execution of this order, our associate Commissioner, Dr. Pey- 
ton, on his "individual responsibility," retained forty kegs, of which he 
informed the Secretary, stating that it was safely stored away, &c, 
when, on the 31st July, the following resolution was adopted. 

" Resolved, That the Secretary request Doctor Peyton to forward the 
40 kegs of powder retained by him to Frankfort, to be made up into 
fixed ammunition." 

This order has not been complied with. The balance of the powder 
was received in Frankfort, accompanied with a bill for freight and 
charges, which had accumulated to an amount equal to one half its 
original cost. 

There are no small arms in the arsenal, either infantry or cavalry, 
for distribution; but workmen are constantly employed in repairing 
those on hand which were unfit for distribution, and those the Com- 
missioners have had collected from disbanded companies in different 
parts of the State. 

There are in the State Arsenal in Frankfort thirty-three pieces of 
ordnance of the following description: 

18 brass 6-pounders, on carriages. 
4 brass 6-pounders, not mounted. 

1 hi ass 12-pound howitzer, mounted. 

1 brass 4-pounder, British trophy, mounted. 

6 iron 6 pounders, mounted. 

1 10 inch mortar, frame. 

2 brass 6-pounders, Mexican trophies, not mounted, (in penitentiary 
house,) and 3 caissons complete. 

19 barrels and 2 boxes canister grape, 6 and 12 pound shot. 

In the powder magazine there are six hundred and one kegs of pow- 
der, and one hundred and seventeen boxes of fixed ammunition, con- 
taining one hundred and seventeen thousand 54-58 and 69 calibre 



12 MILITARY REPORT. 

ball cartridges, and forty-eight thousand percussion caps, subject to 
the disposition of the Legislature. 

No ammunition has been distributed by the Commissioners. 
All of which is respectfully submitted. 

B. MAGOFFIN, Pres% 
P. DUDLEY, 
G. T. WOOD, 
SAM'L GILL. 



attorney general s opinion. 

Attorney General's Office, ) 
Frankfort, July 10, 1861. \ 
To the Military Board of Commissioners : 

Gentlemen : In response to the resolution of your Board of yester- 
day's date, asking my opinion " as to whether or not the Commission- 
ers are to regard the guns in the hands of the State Guard at the time 
of the passage of the act organizing the Military Board as being subject 
to distribution equally among the State Guard and Home Guard,' : I 
have to say, it is my opinion that the first clause in the sixth section of 
the act constituting the Board, (May 24th, 1861,) which is in these 
words : " The arms and munitions of war which now belong to the State 
of Kentucky, and all that may be purchased or procured under the 
authority herein given, shall be subject to the control and disposition of 
said Board under the provisions of this act," places under the control 
and disposition of the Board, all the arms and munitions of war which, 
at the passage of the act, did belong to the State. The expression in 
the act " which now belong to the State of Kentucky," is broad enough 
to embrace, and, in my opinion, does embrace, the arms of the State 
which were then in the hands of the members of the State Guard, 
These arms did then, and do now, " belong to the State of Kentucky," 
and were then, and if the act of 24th May, 1861, had not passed, 
w r ould be now subject to the control of the Commander-in-Chief. (See 
1st Sess. Acts, 1859-60, p. 153, sec. 16.) 

But the control of the Military Board is to be " under the provis- 
ions" of the act of 24th May, 1861, which, in my opinion, contemplates 
an equal division of the arms of the State which may at any time be 
actually distributed, so that there will be an equal number in the hands 
of the State Guard and in the hands of the Home Guard. 
Respectfully, 

A. J. JAMES, Attorney General. 



[A.] 

Frankfort, July 30, 1861. 
To His Excellency, B. Magoffin, President of Military Board: 

Sir: In compliance with a resolution of the Board " requesting and 
authorizing the undersigned to proceed to Paducah and Mayfield and 



MILITARY REPORT. 13 

distribute the arms to the companies of the 1st and 2d districts, to 
whom arms have been allotted, and in the event he finds it inconve- 
nient to deliver them, he is to have them forwarded to the Arsenal at 
Frankfort," would state that he went to Mayfield with the object in 
view of discharging the duties assigned him by the resolution ; that 
he ascertained that the arms had been taken from Mayfield to the 
State line, where a division of the arms took place. From the best 
and most reliable information that could be obtained, 400 of the mus- 
kets were taken into Fulton county and distributed ; that 500 muskets 
(or about that number) and the six pieces of cannon were carried to 
" Camp Brown," at Union City, in the State of Tennessee. For a 
full, accurate, and detailed account of the facts and circumstances at- 
tending the taking, carrying off, and the division and distribution of the 
arms, the Board are referred to a communication from the Hon. A. R. 
Boon, Judge of the Graves county court, to the undersigned, dated at 
Mayfield, July 24th, 1861 ; a communication from Judge Boon, of May- 
field, and Dr. J. M. Johnson, and A. P. Thompson, Esq.. of Paducah, of 
date July 22d, 1861, to Brigadier General B. F. Cheatham, commanding 
forces at " Camp Brown," at Union City, in the State of Tennessee; 
a communication from the Hon. R. K. Williams and others to the un- 
dersigned, dated at Mayfield, July 25, 1861; a communication from 
Ervin Anderson, Clerk of the Graves circuit court, dated at Mayfield, 
July 25, 1861. Also, a letter from R. B. Alexander, dated July 23, 
1861, to Judge Boon, in which he says: "Our committee met to-day 
and decided that you have the guns at Union City, and take them to 
Mayfield, or any place you may choose;" saying nothing about the 
400 muskets in the hands of the citizens of Fulton county, leaving it 
to be inferred, most clearly, that the people of that county design to 
retain possession of the arms in their hands. From these facts, I 
decided not to go in pursuit of the arms to Fulton county, nor to 
Union City, in Tennessee. Believing not only from the foregoing 
statement of facts, in the various papers and letters referred to in this 
communication, but from the concurrent testimony of the citizens of 
Paducah and Mayfield, (with whom I conversed,) that I could not 
obtain possession of the arms in Fulton county ; and if the guns in 
Tennessee should, on my application, be delivered to me, yet such is 
the excited state of the public mind, (that although no personal vio- 
lence would have been offered to me,) I would not have been permit- 
ted to bring the arms from the district. For these reasons I went no 
further than Mayfield in pursuit of the arms ; added to which, a new 
state of case had arisen since the passage of the resolution requesting 
me to go to Paducah and Mayfield to distribute arms, &c. : four hun- 
dred of the muskets seized had been carried to the county of Fulton, 
five hundred muskets and the six pieces of cannon carried to a military 
camp in the State of Tennessee, and were in possession of the troops 
of that State, or the troops of the Confederate States. Entirely a 
new state of case having arisen since the action of the Board; consid- 
ering the peculiarly delicate attitude of Kentucky towards the Federal 
Government, the State of Tennessee, and the Confederate States ; 
believing, as I do, that we are in constant danger of collision; know- 



14 MILITARY REPORT. 

ing, if our soil be invaded, and the neutrality of Kentucky violated, 
the most fearful consequences may follow, I decided to take no further 
steps toward recovering the arms, but to submit to the Board, for 
their consideration and decision, the whole matter. 

I am, very respectfully, 

G. T. WOOD. 
The several letters referred to in this communication are filed as 
parts hereof. G. T. W. 



[B.] 

Mayfield, Ey., July 24, 1861. 
Colonel George T. Wood: 

Sir: In answer to your inquiries relative to the seizure and carry- 
ing away of the arms belonging to the State, which were in my cus- 
tody, I will make the following statements : 

On Friday, the 19th instant, I learned that Captain King, of Union 
City, Tennessee, had passed this place on the cars with a company of 
men in the direction of Paducah ; and learning that there existed in the 
minds of many persons some apprehension as to the object of his 
visit, on Saturday morning, in company with Mr. Ervin Anderson, 
of this place, I went to Paducah for the purpose of conferring with 
Captain King as to whether or not he had any design upon the arms 
which I had in my possession. After 1 reached Paducah, an interview 
was sought and obtained with Captain King by many of the citizens 
of Paducah, as well as Mr. Anderson and myself; we learned that 
Captain King did contemplate seizing the arms at Mayfield; but being 
remonstrated with, not only by myself, but by all who were present at 
the meeting, Captain King gave me his word that he would not 
molest the guns. Having this assurance from him, I felt no more 
uneasiness in reference to them. Captain K. and his company of 
soldiers, accordingly, that evening, left Paducah for Union City, as I 
believed. I came on the cars with them as far as this place, they con- 
tinuing on. So confident was I that he had abandoned the idea of 
making any effort to get possession of the arms, that I did not increase 
the guard over the guns to more than the usual number, feeling that the 
arms were perfectly secure. But to my great disappointment, and 
extreme mortification and regret, nearly, if not quite all of Captain 
K's. company, in connection with citizens of Fulton, and perhaps 
some from Tennessee, returned to this place on the cars, about 12 or 
1 o'clock at night, and forcibly seized and carried away all the arms. 
I made no resistance, because, at the time they arrived, I think there 
were but four or five persons guarding the arms, while the company 
numbered from 125 to 150 men. 1 knew that resistance would be 
fruitless, hence I could only try to influence these persons from thus 
acting by what I could say to them. 

On Sunday evening, in company with Col. A. P. Thompson and 
Dr. John M. Johnson, of Paducah, I went to Union City. I found 



MILITARY REPORT, 15 

that the six pieces of cannon, and perhaps five hundred of the small 
arms, were there; and I learned (and have no doubt but such is the 
fact) that four hundred of the muskets had been given into the posses- 
sion of citizens of Fulton county. I, in conjunction with Messrs. 
Thompson and Johnson, sought and obtained an interview with Col. 
Travis, who was at the time in command at Union City, in the 
absence of General Cheatham, Cemmande-in-Chief of the forces there. 
I told him the facts, when he very promptly told me, that he nor the 
authorities there approved of the act, but most emphatically con- 
demned the whole thing, and he very promptly told me that he would 
deliver the guns, &c, back into my possession, if I desired them, at 
the State line. Upon reflection, it was agreed between Coi. Thomp- 
son, Dr. Johnson, and myself, that it would be unsafe to do so then, 
from certain statements made by citizens of Fulton county, believing, 
as we did, that in ail probability they might again be seized — we not 
having a force sufficient to take care of them. We, therefore, applied 
to Col. T., to ascertain whether he would not keep the arms there until 
the authorities of the State of Kentucky should require them, he giving 
us the assurance that whenever called for by the authorities, they should 
be surrendered up. He very politely consented to do so, but said he 
would much prefer that we would see Gen. Cheatham, who was then 
absent, and stated that he had no doubt General C. would ratify his 
acts in the premises; hence our note to General Cheatham, a copj r of 
which you have in your possession, an answer to which I hope will be 
received in a day or two, 

I hope this explanation will be satisfactory to you, so far as my 
action in the premises are concerned. If, however, there are any 
other points which you desire to have explained, I shall take great 
pleasure in complying with your request. 

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

A. R. BOON. 



Union City, Tennessee, 
July 22, 1861. 
To Brigadier Genera/, B. F. Cheatham, commanding forces Camp Boone : 

Sir : On Friday last, the 19th inst.,Capt. H. C. King of your command 
arrived at Paducab., Ky., by an early morning train, and proceeded to 
the city arsenal with his company, and proceeded to occupy the arse- 
nal,, which usually contains about one hundred and twenty rifles and 
muskets, intending, as we are informed, to seize them; but the mayor 
of the city had taken the precaution the day before to remove the arms 
from the arsenal to the garret of the store-room of C. Dailey & Co., 
merchants. 

Capfc. King learned in the progress of the day that the arms were in 
the custody of C Daifey &, Co., and early the next morning repaired to 
their store and demanded the guns from the clerk, who refused to sur- 
render them, whereupon they were taken by force, having under his 
command a iile of soldiers for that purpose. The arms to the number 



16 MILITARY REPORT. 

of forty were seized and taken ; but upon being remonstrated with, 
surrendered them up again to the authorities. 

Capt. King further stated that he intended to seize nine hundred 
rifle muskets and six cannon then at May field, which were the property 
of the State of Kentucky, and in the custody of one of the under- 
signed, (A. R. Boon;) but upon the citizens of Mayfield and Paducah 
objecting to his doing so, he pledged his word that he would not remove 
the arms, and left on Saturday evening by rail for your camp. Upon 
arriving at Fulton Station, at the State line between Kentucky and 
Tennessee, he was met by a number of citizens from Kentucky and 
Tennessee, and most, if not all, of his command returned with a num- 
ber of citizens, leaving Capt. King at said station, however, with the 
train at midnight, and proceeded to take nine hundred muskets, with 
the six cannon and baggage wagons, &c, and putting them on the 
train took them to Fulton Station, from which they were removed on 
Sunday morning, and five hundred of the muskets were brought to your 
camp, as well as the six brass cannon. We also learn that four hun- 
dred muskets were given up to citizens of Fulton county. 

So far as the undersigned know or believe, the most friendly rela- 
tions exist, and have ever existed, between the citizens of the two 
States, and we find great difficulty in solving the motives which could 
have prompted such a wanton trespass upon the property, as well as 
a violation of the sovereignty, of the State. 

The undersigned would respectfully ask whether they are to regard 
this as the act of the Confederate States, the State of Tennessee, or 
a company of soldiers and others, and whose recklessness may tend to* 
destroy the amicable relations so long existing between us, and whether 
you will return the arms and make such other reparation as the cir- 
cumstances of the case demand ? 

We have the honor to be, very respectfully, 

Your obedient servants, 

A- R. BOON, 

A.. P. THOMPSON,, 

JNQ. M. JOHNSON. 



Mayfuslb, Ky., July 25, 186*1. 

The following are the material facts, so far as we know or have 
reliable information, relative to the seizure of the State arr%s at ihis 
place. On Saturday, the 13th instant, Captain H. C. King, who has a 
company of Kentuckians now in the service of the Confederated 
States, at Union City, went down on the cars to Paducah, returned to 
this place by the evening train, and remained over here until Monday 
evening. 

On Saturday evening, he was observed in private talk on several 
occasions with Southern Rights men, some of whom is said to have, 
advocated the forcible seizure of the arms. This aroused suspicion, and 
a night watch was kept. During the night s some twenty or more per- 



MILITARY REPORT. 17 

sons from the country were ascertained to be in the suburbs of town 
towards Pryorsburg, which is a depot on the railroad some six miles 
from here toward Union City. There were four wagons and teams 
which had come near the town ; but the detection had caused these to 
return. These were ascertained to belong to Jonathan Pryor, Wm. 
Pryor, Jonathan Richards, and Milton Sexon. 

Capt. A. R. Boon, in whose custody these arms had been placed, 
was absent on Saturday and until the afternoon of Sunday. Before his 
return Sunday morning, Capt. J. J. Lane, who had a company of Union 
Home Guard and had applied for arms, heard that his guns had been 
ordered, and had been captured. Thereupon, he gathered up some thirty 
of his company and came to town with shot guns, and such private 
arms as he could command. He and his company remained until Cap- 
tain Boon arrived, offered their services to Capt. Boon if required ; if 
not, they would return, as their guns had not been captured, if allowed 
to him, of which he had no notice. 

Previous to this, Judge Williams had determined to issue a writ 
directed to the sheriff, requiring him to summons good responsible men 
of all parties to protect these arms, and had also written to a company 
of Home Guards at Milburn, to whom guns had been allotted, that it 
was their duty to protect the property of the State equally with the 
State Guards, and that he hoped they would discharge their duty, and 
sent it to them. When Capt. Boon arrived, seeing the excitement 
and fearing a conflict between the parties, he declined the services of 
Capt. Lane's company, and in an interview with Judge Williams and 
other Union men, pledged the defense of the remnant of his company 
of State Guard ; and if there was not sufficient, he would call on the 
citizens of town indiscriminately to aid ; and that he desired no help 
from either party from the country, as he feared the consequences. 
This was agreed to by the parties. 

Before this persons belonging to the Southern Rights party had gone 
out to the country in different directions to secure the attendance of 
friends, and had rallied, as we are informed, several hundred ; but gen- 
tlemen of this party went out and prevented their coming to town. 

About 2 o'clock at night, Captain Pugh, with some thirty of his 
company from neighborhood of Milburn, arrived at Judge Williams' 
house, some half mile on their road before reaching town. Judge Wil- 
liams informed them of the arrangement, and they returned to their 
homes without going into town. 

On Friday, 19th instant, Captain King, with his company, which 
had never been armed, went on the cars to Paducah, there seized the 
arsenal, and such guns as they could find. Saturday morning Captain 
Boon and Ervin Anderson went down to Paducah to see Capt. King, 
there having grown up a general apprehension of his having designs 
on the arms here ; and in an interview with these gentlemen, and 
other prominent citizens of Paducah, Captain King restored back the 
arms seized there, and gave his pledge that the arms here should not 
be molested by himself or company. King and his company returned 
by the Saturday evening's train as far as the State line ; but his com- 
pany, with a part of the Illinois company, and several gentlemen from 

3 






18 MILITARY REPORT. 

Fulton county, Ky., seized the train and arrived at May field about 
midnight, having posted guards for several miles on the road, especial- 
ly at the bridges, seized the arsenal, captured the muskets, ammuni- 
tion, and cannon, and took them off on the train, leaving here about 
3 o'clock, A. M. 

At the State line the muskets were partitioned, about 400 being left 
with the Fulton county men, whilst 500 muskets and the cannon were 
carried on to Union City. Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor, from Union 
City, was along with these men. The number of men are variously 
estimated at from 150 to 300, all unarmed until they got there, so far 
as is known. 

During the week, men from the Union City camp, in squads of 
three, have taken about seventy swords, or sabres, allotted to Captain 
Haydon's horse company, said company having disbanded, and the 
officers and most of the men having gone to Clarksville, or Camp 
Boone, and these arms having been left in the possession of Haydon. 
& Logan, merchants at Baltimore, Ky. 

R. K. WILLIAMS, 
WM. BEADLES, 
RICHARD NEEL, 
JAS. N. BEADLES, 
S. E. LANDER. 
To Col. Wood, Com. Mil. Board, Ky. 

P. S. It would perhaps be proper for us to say to you that there is 
evidently a strong and determined feeling in this county against those 
arms being taken to Frankfort, even should you recover them ; and 
that, in our opinion, force would be resorted to to prevent. We have 
heard prominent Secessionists assert this. These arms have already 
been the source of so much irritation, that we do not desire they 
should be brought here ; nor do we feel, in justice to any of the peo- 
ple of the counties of the Purchase, could they be carried to either of 
them; therefore, it seems to us, that you could now accomplish little 
good by getting possession, whilst a resort to force would probably be 
Ruperinduced by your doing so. 

R. K. WILLIAMS, 
WM. BEADLES, 
RICHARD NEEL, 
JAS. N. BEADLES, 
S. E. LANDER. 



[D.] 

Mayfxelb, Ky., July 25, 1861. 
Colonel Wood: 

Previous to Sunday morning, the 14th, several persons had made 
inquiry of me about the guns in Mayfield which belonged to the State; 
"whether they were safe, and what resistance, if any, would be made 
if an effort should be made to take them from Mayfield ? My reply 



MILITARY REPORT. 



J^ 19 



to all such inquiries was, that the guns belonged to the State ; that 
they were in no danger from Cairo men or from Union men ; and that 
an effort to take them would be resisted, to what extent I did not 
know ; that whilst my wishes and feelings were with the Confederate 
States, and that if such wrong was perpetrated, I desired that it 
should come from the North. In every instance, as far as I was capa- 
ble of judging, my views were acquiesced in. On Sunday morning 
I learned that an effort had been made to take the guns by State 
Rights men, but without success. Capt. H. C. King, who was in town, 
was, by public opinion, connected with the move. He remained in 
Mayfield until Monday evening; left by rt.il for Union City; on Friday 
morning, saw him at depot near our town — his company with him ; 
asked him what was up ; he replied that yesterday was pay day, and 
that his men were out on furlough for two or three days. I asked him 
if they had their arms with them ; he replied that they did not. In the 
evening it was generally believed that Captain King and his men 
would return and take the guns by force ; but when the cars came, a 
report prevailed that he had taken the guns in Paducah, and would 
come out the next evening and take them in Mayfield ; near sundown 
Captain Boon asked me to go with him to Paducah, and aid him and 
that of others in their efforts to induce Captain King to abandon his 
purpose. We went to Paducah ; had a consultation with Captain and 
about twenty of the prominent citizens of Paducah, including some 
Union men ; the result of which was, that Captain King surrendered 
the guns he had taken, and promised not to disturb those at Mayfield. 
Capt. King came out in the cars and passed Mayfield with his men 
at midnight, and was sent for by Capt. Boon. The messengers (two 
negro boys) told me the town was full of armed men. When I arrived 
I found a large number of Capt. King's men, in connection with some 
who professed to be from Fulton county, engaged in taking the guns 
from the armory. No resistance by force was made, nor do I believe 
that such resistance would have resulted to the advantage of the com- 
munity. I endeavored, by persuasion, to induce an abandonment of 
the enterprise, but without success. 

I will state, that on Sunday evening, after the first raid, a young 
man, whose father is a Union man, carne up from Pryorsburg, and said 
that he was told there that three hundred men would come to Mayfield 
from that point that evening for the purpose of taking the guns. I 
proposed to Capt. Boon immediately upon hearing this that I would go 
down and try and get them not to come. He said that was right ; that 
he would get some person to go with me. He asked Esq. Galloway ; he 
had been from home near a week, and preferred not to go. He then 
asked L. B. Holifield to go with me. We went to Wm. Pryor's, in 
immediate neighborhood of Pryorsburg, and learning that no effort of 
the kind was then contemplated from that quarter, we returned home. 
I will state also that Capt. Boon and I visited Paducah on the 17th of 
this month, with the view of making some arrangements in reference 
to the guns. The citizens were opposed to their going there. 

Lieutenant Shields was absent. Gov. Magoffin, upon being advised 
of the state of affairs here by telegraph, replied, and informed us that 



our - 



20 > 



\ 



MILITARY REPORT. 



Col. Wood would, in a few days, visit JVJayfield, and to obey the laws. 
Capt. Boon had. the guns guarded every night after the first raid until 
they were taken.' After Capt. King pledged himself not to disturb the 
guns, I felt satisfied that no further effort would be made to take the 
guns; but in this I was disappointed. 

Yours truly, 

ERVIN ANDERSON. 
My impression is, that the people of western Kentucky are unwil- 
ling that the State arms referred to within should be carried to the 
upper end of the State. Whilst they would offer no violence to Col. 
Wood, yet they would, I think, resist their removal from western Ken- 
tucky. 



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